Fundraiser for B.C. canine blood donor's surgery exceeds expectations
There’s always been something special about Norman.
From the moment he was born on Christmas Eve (there’s a picture of the puppy wearing a red elf hat) to the countless moments in which the now-190-pounder considers himself a lap dog, the Japanese mastiff has been winning hearts and minds.
“Wherever we go, everybody loves Norman,” his owner Jeff says. “Everybody goes, ‘Did you bring your dog?’”
One of Norman’s favourite places to visit is the animal hospital.
“I wouldn’t be excited going to a clinic,” Jeff says, looking down affectionately at Norman. “But apparently he does.”
His vet Ken says — in 40 years of practice — he’s never met a dog like Norman.
“He almost seems to willingly want to give blood,” Ken says. “He jumps up on the table and doesn’t have to be sedated or anything.”
Norman is a universal blood donor – a rare trait in dogs. He has helped save the lives of 16 other dogs.
“Why wouldn’t we help?” Jeff says. “It’s the good thing to do.”
Recently, bad things started happening with Norman’s back leg.
“Seeing him in pain makes me want to cry,” Jeff says, pointing out Norman’s limp. “It’s heartbreaking.”
The vet discovered that Norman had torn a ligament in his knee that would cause increasing pain and shorten the dog’s life without specialized surgery in a bigger city.
“Unfortunately, big dog, big cost,” Ken says.
The $8,500 estimated bill has been causing sleepless nights for Jeff.
“Top 10 worst things that could happen in your life, this is like one, two, or three,” Jeff says.
So Jeff decided to launch a GoFundMe page, hoping that the dog who helped so many might receive a little help himself.
“I thought, ‘It’s worth a try,’” Jeff says. “Every little bit helps.”
He certainly never expected that, just a day later, he’d reach his fundraising goal — let alone surpass it.
“Norman’s done a lot in the doggy community,” Jeff says appreciatively, adding that he’ll donate any surplus money to the SPCA. “Now he’s getting some payback. That’s awesome!”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
2 teens charged in Halifax homicide: police
Two teenagers have been charged with second-degree murder in connection to an alleged homicide near the Halifax Shopping Centre earlier this week.
'Deep ignorance': Calls for Manitoba trustee to resign sparked after comments about Indigenous people and reconciliation
A rural Manitoba school trustee is facing calls to resign over comments he made about Indigenous people and residential schools earlier this week.
ByteDance prefers TikTok shutdown in U.S. if legal options fail, Reuters sources say
TikTok owner ByteDance would prefer to shut down its loss-making app rather than sell it if the Chinese company exhausts all legal options to fight legislation to ban the platform from app stores in the U.S., four sources said.
12-year-old hippo in Japan raised as a male discovered to be a female
When Gen-chan arrived at a zoo in Japan in 2017, no one questioned whether the then-five-year-old hippopotamus was a boy. Seven years later, zoo staff made a surprising discovery: Gen-chan, now 12, was female.
Here's why Harvey Weinstein's New York rape conviction was tossed and what happens next
Here's what you need to know about why movie mogul Harvey Weinstein's rape conviction was thrown out and what happens next.
Improve balance and build core strength with this exercise
When it comes to cardiovascular fitness, you may tend to focus on activities that move you forward, such as walking, running and cycling.
Legendary hockey broadcaster Bob Cole dies at 90: CBC
Bob Cole, a welcome voice for Canadian hockey fans for a half-century, has died at the age of 90. Cole died Wednesday night in St. John's, N.L., surrounded by his family, his daughter, Megan Cole, told the CBC.